Improvement in machines for planting potatoes



T. B. WHYTE.

Potato Planter.

I Patented Feb. 9, 1858.

N-PEIERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D O

UNITED STATES PATENT EFIEE.

THOMAS B. WHYTE, OF GBEENWICH, NEW YORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 19,322, dated February 9, 1858.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. WHYTE, of Greenwich, Washington count-y, State of New York, have invented a new Machine for Plantin g Potatoes; and I declare the followin g specification, with the drawings hereto attached as part of the same, to be a full and perfect description thereof.

Figure 1 is a plan of the machine with the upper part of the hopper removed to show the I working parts. Fig. 2 is a profile view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the center of the machine. Fig. 4 is a plan of the knife with its slides.

Similar letters denote the same parts of the apparatus.

My machine is a wooden frame, X, resting upon three wheels, a front one, A, running centrally between and near the extremities of the two longitudinal beams of the frame, the other two, 15 B, at the extremities of a crossbeam, forming the rear of the frame and projecting across beyond the sides of it, so as to bring the wheels behind ata convenient width for the stability of the machine.

To the front end of the frame is attached by an iron strap, D, and projecting forward, a plowshare, G, throwing an equal furrow right and left to receive the potato-planting.

A little behind the center of the frame, and upon it, stands the hopper L, with its lower receptacle, L The bottom of L is closed with a slide F which is a cuttin or slicin a tiaratus consisting of a solid piece of wood having through it a square opening' as large as the open bottom of the chamber L To the top of this board is attached a flat knife as broad as the opening and extending half-way over it from the rear. The bottom of the opening is covered with athin piece of metal, covering it to near the middle of the opening, leaving thus a space between the edges of the knife and bottom covering equal to the thickness of said bottom, said space being made of the thickness proper for the potato-slices to be furnished for planting. This slide is to be moved backward and forward across the open bottom of the hopper by any convenient cam or crank work attached to or in connection with the shaft of wheel A. In my drawings I exhibit one convenient way of attaching the same, in which, by varying the proportions of the wheels on and n to each other, I determine the distances between the spots where the potatoes planting are to be dropped.

Against the rear of the hopper lies a board, V, which can be pressed forward and regulated by a hand-screw, X, so that its lower end shall partially close the open bottom of the hopper and determine the size of the pieces into which the potatoes shall be out, so as to average the proper distribution of eyes as seed.

P and R are two covering-shares attached to the side beams of the frame, and so set that they shall throw back over the planting the earth thrown out by share 0. One is to be placed a little in advance of the other, the objeot of which arrangementis to prevent stones or other material from catching between the shares and obstructing their due operation.

Directly in front of the rear wheels, B B, attached to a cross-piece, Z, there are two earth-cutters or small shares, G G, as wide or a little wider thairthe tread of the wheels B. They are adjusted so as to range just in line with the bottom of the wheels and clear away all hard earth, stones, or any obstructions that may be in the way of the wheels, so as to permit the machine to move smoothlyin its work. Also, if desired, by adjusting them below the bottom of the wheels, they can be made to track a little lower, and so by leverage upon the wheel A govern the depth to which the share 0 shall out, also the shares P and R to cover the planting.

The operation of the machine is so plain as to require no special description.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of slide F, knife 0, and adjustable board V, with hoppers L and L in manner and form and for the purposes set forth.

THOS. B. VVHYTE.

Witnesses:

RroHD. VARICK DE WITT, DUDLEY W. DE WITT. 

